The median annual wage for Private Detectives and Investigators in New York is $59,840 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $73,290.
Pay spans roughly $42,680 at the 10th percentile to $113,220 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $28.77 per hour. An estimated 1,850 people work as private detectives and investigators in New York.
| Median (annual) | $59,840 |
| Mean (annual) | $73,290 |
| Median (hourly) | $28.77 |
| 10th percentile | $42,680 |
| 90th percentile | $113,220 |
| Employment | 1,850 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.